


Alone for the First Time

by Souyoosk



Category: Free!
Genre: Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-15
Updated: 2013-08-15
Packaged: 2017-12-23 15:10:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,108
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/927956
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Souyoosk/pseuds/Souyoosk
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mako takes a big fall when the stairs are slick with rain and Haru doesn’t really know how to deal with being at school without Makoto’s presence.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Alone for the First Time

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Thanks for taking the time to read this. I hope you enjoy~

“Damn, it’s raining.” Makoto barely had enough time to grab two umbrellas; one for himself and one for Haru, before leaving his house to go pick up Haru. He had been running late since his brother thought that Makoto’s alarm clock was too annoying and turned it off before Makoto woke up. Now Makoto was running late and he almost didn’t have time to go pick up Haru, but if he didn’t go pick up Haru, he probably wouldn’t go to school and just sit in the bath all day. Especially since Haru had gotten irritated at Makoto last night for being too overprotective again. He needed to apologize to Haru properly, but it was looking more and more like they would have to rush to school, which would leave no time for apologies until class began.

The streets were slick with water, so Makoto made sure that he was careful while he jogged to Haru’s house. The stairs were tricky, so he was super careful or he thought he was being careful. As Makoto reached the torii, his foot caught on the last step and he slipped, falling in slow motion it seemed. His vision blanked for a moment and when he came to, the old woman that lived close by was already calling an ambulance. _Am I really that hurt? Sorry, Haru._

 

* * *

 

Haru played with the water in the tub listlessly, enjoying the feel of it across his skin. He got the urge to stretch out and looked at his hands while pushing his legs out. _Huh, they’re all pruned. I never get this way by the time Makoto gets here._ Haru had a fleeting thought that he had hurt Makoto last night, but he hadn’t gotten _that_ mad. Curiously, Haru stood and looked out the window and saw flashing blue and red lights.

Something hard hit his stomach and he found himself scrambling out of the bath tub before any sort of rational thought came. _Maybe it was someone on a bike or a crash. No wait, I would have heard something. But it can’t be him. He’s too careful._

Haru quickly changed clothes, putting on his school uniform so that he could go on his way to school. He went to grab his umbrella on his way out, but he then remembered that he had left it at Makoto’s house the last time he stayed over. He silently cursed himself as he took great care down the steps to the torii gates where there were a couple of paramedics and the old woman that lived below him. She looked serious and slightly panicked, but quickly changed expressions when she saw Haru.

“Nanase-kun, it seems that Tachibana-kun took a bit of a spill earlier. He seems alright, but he is going to the hospital to get checked out. Here, he made sure that you had this.” Her voice was a little shaky and Haru had stopped listening to her fully when he saw some blood on the steps being washed away in the rain.

He accepted the umbrella and opened it numbly as he walked to school half-soaked already. _She said he was fine, so he’s fine right? He’s always okay._ Haru felt weird walking alone. He could distinctly hear the rain hitting the pavement and the water. It was strange to be silent otherwise. The cars were still whizzing by, making the same noises. But Makoto’s constant chatter was missing. Haru felt something twist and throb when he thought about it.

School was dull as ever, but Haru paid it no mind as he sat staring at the window again. Of course he had gotten strange looks when he came in by himself and even Ama-chan looked concerned when Haru’s constant partner wasn’t with him. Luckily she didn’t say anything, but he knew that Nagisa would at lunch. _Lunch, that’s right. He usually brought me lunch. Maybe I can share with Nagisa or Rei today._

Classes passed by slowly. Haru couldn’t wait for the ending bell so that he could go check to see if Makoto had gotten home yet. During break, he had texted him in the hopes that Mako would reply, but it was in vain. Usually he would get a text back from Makoto immediately, but this time he got nothing.

By the time lunch rolled around, Haru was visibly moping even though the rain had stopped. There was a slight pout on his lips and his eyes remained downcast. When he went up to the roof alone, his heart beat loudly in his ears without Makoto talking to him all the way up. Then his stomach growled hungrily, reminding him that he hadn’t eaten all morning and had no lunch with him either. When he reached the door to the roof, Haru paused. _Do I really want to go out here without Makoto and face the questions that Nagisa is going to ask about it?_

Haru wasn’t given much choice when he heard Nagisa’s voice from behind. “Haru-chan, where’s Mako-chan?”

Haru turned around, not realizing that he still looked like he was sulking. Nagisa’s eyebrows were pushed together in worry and Rei was behind him with a surprised look on his face. _It’s not really that strange for me to be alone is it?_

Haru shrugged, not wanting to elaborate on the morning’s events. Nagisa pouted for a moment, but then perked up. “Oh Haru, you don’t have a lunch if Mako-chan isn’t here, right? Would you like some of mine?”

Haru nodded and accepted Nagisa’s offer. Even Rei offered some of his food to Haru. The air was kind of heavy with unasked questions that Haru knew Rei and Nagisa had. He wasn’t going to offer up any information even if they did ask. They didn’t need to make assumptions and talking about it would just make Haru go crazy.

“Haru-chan?” Nagisa’s face appeared in Haru’s vision, and he flinched a bit at the proximity of the other teen’s face.

_Here it comes_ , Haru sighed. “Yes, Nagisa?”

“Are you okay? You look…sad. And you haven’t even berated me for using –chan on your name like you usually would. Is it because Mako-chan isn’t here?” Nagisa crouched in front of Haru, asking questions innocently.

Haru opened his mouth to rebuke Nagisa, but he couldn’t speak past the lump in his throat. He closed his mouth with a snap and decided that he would just nod.

Nagisa was worried about Haru’s lack of a verbal answer. He wanted to ask a ton of questions, but knew that Haru would probably just leave if he was overwhelmed. “Is Makoto okay?”

Haru was tempted to lie and just let Nagisa think he was just being spoiled, but this was one of his team members, he couldn’t just lie to him so he shrugged his shoulders.

_He doesn’t know. That’s rare._ Nagisa thought to himself. _Oh, he must be really worried about Makoto if he’s being like this._ Nagisa didn’t want to press Haru anymore so he smiled a little, “Well, wherever he is or what’s happening, it’s Makoto right? He’s always saying he’s fine and he’ll be okay, right Haru?”

Haru looked up at Nagisa surprised. Sometimes he forgot how sweet the younger swim club member could be. Haru nodded and held onto what the blonde had said. _Makoto will be fine._

Nagisa smiled brighter. “Good, you look more normal now. I’m sure Makoto is just sick or something and will say something like, ‘I’m sorry I didn’t make Haru-chan lunch’ right?”

Haru felt a little relieved. The old lady had said that Makoto was fine. What use was it to get all worked up anyway?

Haru spent the rest of lunch keeping his attention focused on the jokes Nagisa told (mostly making fun of Rei) so that he couldn’t let the doubt resurface. He managed to make it through the rest of his classes as well, learning more than the first half of them after realizing that Makoto would need to borrow notes when he got back to classes.

Haru’s mood had increased by the time school let out finally. He had reasoned that Makoto was probably forced to rest at home for the day and he was perfectly fine. When he got to Makoto’s house, he was expecting to go into Makoto’s room and find him asleep in bed or reading.

_That doesn’t explain the fact that he hasn’t answered his texts._ Haru ignored that and wrote it off that his mom took his phone away so that he could rest properly.

Haru knocked on the door of the Tachibana residence as he usually did and heard the light stomping of Ren and Ran as they raced to get the door. The twins beamed at Haru when they saw that it was him. They shouted first at Haru and then back towards the kitchen. “Haru-chan! Haru-chan is here dad!”

“Oy, what have I told you about the –chan?” Haru asked as he took his shoes off at the door, leaving his bag and umbrella at the door as well.

Ren and Ran giggled, “Haru-nii, Onii-chan isn’t home yet. Dad is going to take us to go see him though.”

Haru’s eyes widened and he looked to Makoto’s father for an explanation. The words out of his mouth were urgent and frantic. “Where is he? What happened?”

“Calm down, Haruka. He’s fine.” Makoto’s father smiled gently. “He’s just being watched at the clinic in town. It seems like he hit his head and got a minor concussion this morning for not being careful going up those stairs. Would you like to come with us to go see him? We’re taking him home later tonight when the doctors release him.”

Haru nodded, relief washing through him. _Just a concussion. A minor concussion he said. He’s okay._

The ride was short, thankfully, since Ren and Ran fought over who got to push the button when they got to the elevator the entire ride until Makoto’s father told them that Haru got to push them since they were fighting over it.

Haru got more and more eager to see his friend as they traveled up the elevator to the waiting room on the second floor. Makoto’s father could tell that Haru was a little agitated, so he offered him a smile and a pat to the shoulder. “As soon as my wife comes out, you can go see him. We’re going to get some food for about an hour.”

Haru almost smiled at the offer. “Thank you very much.”

After about five minutes of waiting, Makoto’s mother walked into the waiting room and gave Haru an encouraging smile. “Go ahead into room 204, he’s waiting for you.”

Haru hurried down the hall without running so he wouldn’t get in trouble. He opened the door hesitantly and as quietly as he could. Makoto looked normal beside the white bandaging around his head and the slight red stain near the middle-back of his head.

Makoto looked up from the magazine he was holding and smiled at Haru. “Haru-chan, I’m sorry I didn’t get to your house to-”

Haru walked over to the bed and hugged Makoto a little awkwardly, surprising Makoto. Haru felt light and a little shaky to finally see and hear Makoto okay after worrying about him all day.

Makoto smiled gently, stroking Haru’s hair. “I’m sorry, I made you worry, didn’t I?”

Haru merely clung a little tighter and found Makoto’s hand, wrapping his finger’s in Makoto’s longer ones. Makoto kissed the top of Haru’s head softly. “Hey, it’s okay, Haru. I’m fine. I’m sorry I couldn’t contact you to let you know I was fine. My phone broke when I fell.”

“It’s fine.” Haru mumbled into Makoto’s chest. He sighed. “I love you.”

“I love you too, Haru.” Makoto smiled brightly, bending down a little to huge Haru back. They stayed like that for a long time. Neither willing to let the other go.

 

* * *

 

The next day, rain was pouring hard again and Makoto was on time, his head injury mostly healed with only the warning not to swim for three days just in case anything happened. He was out the door with his umbrella and two lunches in hand, ready to be super careful going up the stairs that day.

Except that he didn’t need to be ready for it at all. Haru was standing at the base of the steps already, features stoic as usual as he waited for Makoto.

Haru turned to Makoto, a serious expression on his face. “You’re never climbing up those stairs again while it’s raining.”


End file.
